Thirteen.

How can this be? How can I be the parent of a TEENAGER? Tomorrow my oldest, Caleb, turns 13. He's taller than me. He's growing his hair out and is starting to preen in the mirror and does this gawky self concious hair flipping thing. He kinda sorta hugs me goodnight , but it's in a sort of restrained, I don't know how to tell you I am not sure if I want to hug you anymore way. He has his life planned out. He is going to go to school at Marquette High, and during high school he will work at Ted's Restaurant on 64th and North. Maybe even at Blockbuster. When he graduates from high school, he's going to Marquette University. He'll either major in being a cartoonist or a veterinarian . I haven't the heart to tell him that they don't have those programs at Marquette. When he graduates, he is moving to California. And he doesn't know this, but he's taking me with him.

Last week a girl called him from school. After I give him the phone I hear this:

"Yeah"
"I dunno"
"Uh...Nothing"
"I guess"
"Yeah"
"Uh"
"Yeah, I did that"
"I dunno"
"Okay"
"Bye"

He looks at me, and rolls his eyes. I say "What did she want?" And he says " I don't know. It was stupid. She had nothing to say. I don't even know why she called, she has the home work assignment"

I've just contributed yet another clueless male to the world.